My Kokeshi Dolls

Kokeshi are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan.  They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. The bottom is marked with the signature of the artist. (Wikipedia).

I've heard that kokeshi has a spiritual significance to some Japanese. The wood that is used for making the kokeshi doll's face (Mizuki), literally translates as "water tree" and is thought to have fire-resistant properties. They consider kokeshi a lucky charm in the belief that kokeshi will protect their homes against fire.

Kokeshi doll makes a great souvenir if you have been to Japan.  Price range of kokeshi that I have seen so far is ~ 1000 - 10,000 JPY depending on the size and design (medyo mahal din).

There are just some of the kokeshi dolls in my collection. I don't have much in my collection now, but I plan to start collecting more (before I move to Singapore next year).